Cristiano Ronaldo Scores 980th Goal, Closing in on 1,000 Milestone
Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to club soccer with Al-Nassr after a turbulent international break with Portugal, and the 41-year-old forward has once again turned his attention toward one of the biggest milestones of his career. His latest appearance in the Saudi Pro League against Diriyah offered an opportunity to respond on the pitch, while his ongoing dispute with national team coach Jorge Jesus remains unresolved.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp after being an unused substitute during the 2-1 victory over Norway, having previously started the 1-0 win against Wales. The decision ended an extraordinary run of approximately 18 years without being left unused on the bench in a competitive Portugal match, adding another chapter to the controversy surrounding his international future.
The 41-year-old superstar has now returned to action as Al-Nassr hosted Diriyah at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on Friday, October 9, 2026, in Matchday 8 of the Saudi Pro League. The fixture marked his first competitive appearance since the Portugal controversy and gave him a chance to redirect the attention toward his performances for the Saudi club.
Al-Nassr entered the match sitting third in the league standings with 16 points from seven games, having recorded five wins, one draw and one defeat. The club had scored 16 goals and conceded seven, keeping it firmly in the early title race behind Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad.
Diriyah, meanwhile, arrived in eighth place with 11 points, following an encouraging start to its first Saudi Pro League campaign. The two clubs had already met in the King’s Cup in August, when the Knight of Najd secured a 4-1 victory.
Ronaldo entered the match having scored 979 official goals in 1,336 senior appearances for club and country. At 41 years old, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to produce at an extraordinary level, with his pursuit of 1,000 goals becoming one of the biggest individual storylines in soccer.
The Portuguese made his return count by scoring against Diriyah, taking his remarkable career tally to 980 goals. The latest strike moved him another step closer to a milestone that has become one of the defining storylines of the final stage of his playing career.
That leaves the veteran forward needing 20 more goals to reach 1,000 official career goals. His previous strike against Abha in September had brought him to 979, meaning the Diriyah goal added another milestone to his extraordinary record across club and international soccer.
The achievement also provided a timely reminder of Ronaldo’s continued importance to Al-Nassr. Despite the noise surrounding his Portugal departure, the forward remains a central figure in the club’s attacking plans under coach Ange Postecoglou.
Ronaldo’s goal against Diriyah has brought him to 980 career goals, leaving him 20 short of the 1,000 mark. At 41, he continues to chase a target that would represent one of the most extraordinary individual achievements in the history of the sport.
Let's Call It What It Is
For now, Al-Nassr will hope his scoring form helps the club maintain pressure on the teams above it in the league standings. The Portugal controversy may continue away from the pitch, but Ronaldo has delivered another reminder that his pursuit of soccer history remains very much alive. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 980th career goal in Al Nassr’s match against Al Diriyah, pouncing on a rebound after a Kingsley Coman shot, and is now 20 goals away from 1,000.
Cristiano Ronaldo could reportedly reunite with Roberto Martínez at Al Nassr, according to a Saudi TV program that claims Ange Postecoglou’s future is in danger. Whispers echoing from Portugal suggest that the manager himself may soon face the heavy hand of disciplinary justice for his treatment of the eternal captain. While the Portuguese superstar has been linked to a major business opportunity involving the Saudi Pro League side, a fresh clarification has challenged the claims surrounding his alleged involvement.
